


East High Idol Project!

by fandomwhatfandom



Series: East High Idol Project! [1]
Category: High School Musical (Movies), Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-09
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-04-03 13:45:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4103118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomwhatfandom/pseuds/fandomwhatfandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After their father comes back from Japan, Sharpay and Ryan have caught the school idol bug. With a bit of help from Ms. Darbus, Sharpay knows that she can bring the school and herself to international fame. They're all in this together, and with herself and the boy toy Troy she and Ryan are sure they'll hit the right notes. </p><p>But Sharpay's stage directions don't include surprises and while the show must go on, some surprises might have more than just Sharpay making a quick exit, stage right. </p><p>At East High, they don't call the Drama club the "Drama with a capital D" club for nothing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Anime Club, Drama, and Monday

**Author's Note:**

> This is an altered time line. The events of the first HSM movie happened in the students' sophomore year and the events of HSM2 haven't happened yet. 
> 
> While none of the Love Live! characters appear directly, there's references to them throughout the story. 
> 
> Songs used throughout the fic will be credited in the notes (typically they will be from Love Live! or from HSM movies). 
> 
> Rated teen for future chapters.

After surviving his freshmen and sophomore year of high school Troy Bolton knew he could handle anything that East High threw his way. Or so he thought until he actually started school and was bombarded by the newly created Anime Club.

Just two weeks into the school year and every day a club member followed him around asking (and frequently begging) him to join. According to the club founder, it was vital that he join for the sake of the club’s “street cred.”

But considering the fact that Troy was yet again the captain of the basketball team and had promised to join the Drama Club (Gabriella and Ryan’s idea, not his), he really didn’t have time for a second one. And that was totally sidelining the fact that his parents were riding him pretty hard about SAT prep and college in general.

So even though it was only two weeks into the school year he was taking all the short cuts and using all the hiding places he knew to avoid whatever Anime Club member they decided to throw at him today.

But he was running behind today so taking the long route wasn’t an option. Which was just his luck because the first person he ran into was Matt Mather, president and founder of the Anime Club.

“Ow! Sorry man, you alright?”

“Sorry, totally wasn’t looking where I-oh hey Bolton!” Matt looked up and grinned. “Running late today? Mondays are always like that for me. You know we’re having a meeting today, we’re welcoming new members and _you_ could be one. Like I said it would give you-” He was talking a mile a minute and even though Troy knew for a fact that his homeroom was on the other side of the building he kept up with the basketball player.

“Street cred, I know. You told me that last week.”

“But more importantly, if that’s not important to you, cause let’s face it, you have the kind of street cred a shoujo hero has, you’d really boost the cred of the whole club!”

“Hey, look man, I told uh, Suzie I think.”

“Last name Szubert?”

“Yeah! That’s her. Anyway, I told her that I’m in the Drama Club this year and I’m doing basketball and then in the spring I’m trying for baseball again.” Troy stopped mid stride. “Hey, isn’t your homeroom that way?”

Matt looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. But, oh hey look! Sharpay! Hi!”

Troy winced as his…acquaintance jumped up and down waving to her.

Sharpay was in a form fitting pink dress with a white overlay. Massive oversized bag slung over her arm and a magazine in hand she looked as if she just walked off the set for a photo shoot or runway. Though Troy was pretty sure that as far as she was concerned East High _was_ her runway. But this particular model didn’t look happy.

“Hey! Matt I really don’t know why you’re running a club when you can’t even keep your shoes tied. By the way, your shoe is untied.” Sharpay said striding up to the boys. She folded her arms and looked Mather up and down. “Hi Troy. Headed to class?”

“Homeroom yeah.”

“Oh, that’s right!” Sharpay glanced at her watch. “Well I guess I’ll see you there. Tell Ms. Darbus I’m running late because of our project. She’ll know what I’m talking about. Bye!”

Troy raised his eyebrows and waited for Sharpay to leave but she instead honed in on Matt and not in the adoring way. “Uh right, I’ll just be going then.” Neither seemed to hear him and he slipped into the classroom just after the bell rang.

“Bolton! Tardy! If we did not have our first Drama Club meeting today I would give you detention. Consider yourself lucky.” Ms. Darbus was in her finest clothes today, bright colors and flowing fabrics, looking as odd and performer-esque as ever. She continued, “Let this be a lesson to you all. Join the Drama Club and you will find yourself on my good side. Although I will not sweep your transgressions under the carpet so to speak, I will take your participation in the Drama Club into consideration. Now! On to pressing matters!

“Today is the first meeting of the Drama Club. I know that many of you will be there as you were loyal members last year. Sharpay and her brother Ryan,” she pointed to Ryan who was in his usual spot, “have a wonderful surprise for us this year and I know that all of you will be very excited to participate. Fret not, it will not interfere with your hockey games.” This remark was directed at Chad who had frowned so hard that it made Troy’s face hurt.

“Now. I will call roll and send you on your way. Oh! The principal brought to our attention that many of you are still arriving to classes late, claiming to be lost. It is the second week of school and you have all had plenty of time to adjust! So as I call your name, I will pass out a map of the school and your schedule. You are all juniors and should know better, but the principal thinks not.”

Chad leaned over while Ms. Darbus pawed through the papers on her overcrowded desk. “You’re going to the meeting right?”

“Yeah. Promised Gabriella and Ryan. Don’t tell, but I’m just there for Gabriella.”

“Cool man. Your secret’s safe.”

Both boys straightened up and looked at their desks as Ms. Darbus’ shadow fell on them. “Mr. Bolton, Mr. Danforth. I am glad to see you both are here today and ready to contribute to class discussion. I do hope your talking behind the teacher’s back now will turn into class participation later today.” There was no humor in her voice. She dropped their schedules and Troy exhaled as she walked off.

“Sharpay Evans!” Ms. Darbus frowned, glaring at the class over her glasses. “Has anyone seen Miss Evans?”

Troy raised his hand, Chad rolling his eyes-it was homeroom and everyone thought that Ms. Darbus’ rule of hand raising was ridiculous.

“Mr. Bolton?”

“She’s running late. She’s doing something for the project. She said you’d know what she’s talking about.”

Darbus wrote something down on her clipboard. “I do indeed Mr. Bolton. Thank you.” And the roll call continued.

When Troy heard Gabriella’s name called he spun around so fast that he almost gave himself whiplash. Gabriella smiled in that way she did when she was trying not to laugh out loud and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Troy felt his face heat and broke eye contact before he did something really stupid. Usually he hung out with her before school started but that had been a no-go today.

When the bell rang ending homeroom he leapt up, causing his desk to crash to the ground. While everyone was fleeing the room and scampering to their next classes Troy tried to straighten the desk and be simultaneously cool. He knew that it was hard to look cool while putting his desk back in place, but didn’t realize how badly he failed until he heard Taylor and Gabriella giggling.

“Catch you later girl. Good luck with Basketball Man.”

Troy looked up in time to see Taylor wink as she walked past. Gabriella laughed, books in her arms. He had a feeling it was going to be a great Monday despite the fact that he was a complete klutz today. Gabriella looked fresh and alive, her smile ready to be shared with all. Not to mention she was wearing what he thought was an adorable dress. At either rate, it showed off her great legs.

“So are you coming to the meeting today?” she said.

“Yeah, I said I would, so I’ll be there. I keep my word right?”

“Good. Hey Troy, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”

He swallowed. So much for today being a good Monday. “What? Is everything alright?” he led the way out of the classroom, book bag slung over his shoulder.

Again, that beautiful smile. “Everything’s fine Troy. But I’m just wondering, are you in the Drama Club because you like theater or are you in it because of me?”

“Because of you obviously! I mean, you asked me to join with you so I did.” But as he said it Troy felt as if he gave the wrong answer, even if it was the truth.

“So if I wasn’t in it, you wouldn’t be?”

“Yeah. Gabriella, where are you going with this?”

“I just think it’s funny that a guy that loves theater so much wouldn’t join the Drama Club unless his girlfriend does. You didn’t join the school decathlon, and I’m in that.”

Troy frowned. He slowed his pace. “Yeah, but I mean I can’t be. I’d drag you guys down. And besides, it’s not something that interests me. I mean it’s interesting, but it’s just not my thing. It’s totally your thing though, you rock it.”

“You see; that’s my point! You’re not in a club that doesn’t interest you even though I’m in it. Which supports my theory.”

“Oooh no, no Gabi. No, no theories.”

_“Troy.”_

“Ok fine. Throw it at me.”

“I think that the reason you’re in the Drama Club is because you like it, but you’re too afraid to actually say that so you didn’t join until Ryan and I asked you to. Am I right?”

Troy laughed, but it was a laugh of defeat, not a genuine one. “Ok you got me. But look Gabriella; I’m the basketball guy. I’m the basketball captain and I have a reputation. Drama isn’t my thing. I mean, it’s my thing but it’s not my _thing_ thing. It’s not expected of me.”

She turned to face him, frowning and eyes hard. “I thought last year meant something to you Troy. I thought we were over that.”

“Well, we are, but the school’s-”

“No Troy. _We_ are but you aren’t. I’m the nerdy science girl and I’m in the club because I want to be. Sharpay doesn’t mind. She was _happy_ when I signed up. And you know how much she doesn’t like me. Even Chad has talked about joining the club.”

“Woah, wait Chad? Chad is joining the Drama Club?”

Gabi shrugged. “I don’t know, but he told me he’s thinking about it.”

“He never told me about this! When did-”

“Troy, no one ever talks to you about theater because you do _this_ every time.” She motioned to him, a single, sad movement that motioned to all of him.

“What do you mean, “every time”? What do you mean ‘like this?’”

“Troy. We both have to get to class. I’ll see you later ok? I’ll save you and Chad a seat at lunch.”

Troy frowned. “Yeah, ok. See ya.”

 

The rest of the day took forever. Each period seemed longer than their allotted fifty minutes. Even lunch wasn’t as enjoyable and Chad was missing. No one knew where he was and somehow that made it worse. He didn’t have the heart to talk about the impending meeting, and he sure couldn’t contribute to the conversation between Gabi and Taylor as they were talking about their advanced chemistry class. The proofs and theories were interesting but he couldn’t keep up.

He finished his lunch and was about to head off to the gym to shoot some hoops. Something about the rhythm of the ball on the floor and the squeak of shoes always got his head in the game of real life. But right as he added his tray to the stack of ones to be washed the bell rang calling lunch to an end.

 

Free period was too short and the rest of the classes he didn’t remember or he did his best to forget. Finally it was three P.M. He had fifteen minutes to get to the auditorium and figure out if he was really happy to be there or not. He couldn’t get over what Gabriella had said. They didn’t talk to him about theater because something about him never let them.

He walked into the auditorium, the first one there. “Hello?” The stage was black and empty, red curtains pulled back to show the expanse of the stage. There were chairs set up on it already. “In the right place, good to know,” he muttered walking up the steps onto the stage.

“Mister Bolton. Glad you could make it.” Ms. Darbus strode towards him from the back, sleeves billowing as she walked. “As you can see, you are the first one to arrive. I take it that means that you missed the world of theater?”

“Uh, well I didn’t do much of that sort of thing this summer. I mean with basketball camp and all. And there weren’t any drama camps or anything.”

The teacher simply raised an eyebrow as she climbed onto the stage. “I see. Well, welcome back. When I saw your name on the list I wasn’t sure if you were actually interested or if you were pulling my leg. I’m glad to see that it is out of genuine interest.”

Soon after Ms. Darbus arrived so did the others. Kelsi, Martha, Gabi, Jason, Taylor and Chad showed up. Chad took the empty seat on Troy’s right as Gabriella took the one on his left.

“Dude I thought she was joking. You’re joining the Drama Club?” Troy asked as they did their usual high five greeting.

“Yeah. Can’t let you fly alone on this one right?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You’d figure it out on your own, you’re a smart guy. We did vote you captain of the basketball team again. You should have let us know up front if you were stupid.” They grinned at each other as Gabriella and Taylor shook their heads.

The clacking of heels was heard over the chatter.

“Ah! Sharpay and Ryan. Welcome. Now that the president of the Drama Club is here let us begin.” Ms. Darbus said as the two strode into the half circle.

Sharpay took center stage and smiled. “Welcome to another year of the Drama Club! I am thrilled to be president yet again and together I know that we’ll take ourselves…and East High to new heights. Now, as some of you know, and all of you would know if you sat at the Drama Club tables during lunch, Daddy just came back from Japan. Not only does Japan have a fascinating history and culture, and totally adorable fashion like-”

Ryan was standing a bit behind her and cleared his throat. “This isn’t a fashion show sis,” he whispered.

The others chuckled as Sharpay rolled her eyes and continued. “Anyway, aside from brilliant plays Japan also has what is called school idols. The biggest names on the school idol scene is the Muse, lead by Nico Yazawa and her friends. Their story should be an inspiration to us all.”

“Yo, what does this have to do with our _American_ Drama Club?”

Sharpay glared at Chad and walked forward until she was a scant inch away from him. “If you didn’t interrupt me you would know _exactly_ why I have chosen to model our Drama Club after the school idols. Don’t interrupt me again.” Her voice was low and nearly a growl. But she straightened up and walked back to her spot and smiled.

“School idols have to perfect every part of their act. Their singing, their choreography, and yes, their acting. Ryan and I were incredibly inspired by these girls and we thought ‘What a great thing for East High!’ These girls have already reached international fame, and thanks to the school decathlon and the basketball team, we’ve already made national headlines. Why not take it a step further? I-” she glanced at her brother and corrected herself, “we believe that our Drama Club is brimming with potential. What better way to combine all aspects of East High than to become school idols ourselves? Of course we’ll still have a winter and spring performance. I was thinking of doing plays centered around the specialties of the idol groups. I’m thinking there should be three at most, just to add some variety.”

“Ah! I knew you would come up with something wonderful with the idea! Congratulations Sharpay and Ryan for taking on such a bold venture.”

Sharpay and Ryan grinned at each other.

“So, any questions?” Ryan said, stepping forward. “Yes, Chad.”

“Exactly what makes a school idol an idol? I mean, I’m already pretty famous thanks to my skills and my beautiful hair.” He was grinning the whole time.

“A school idol is more than his hair or basketball skills. You see, an idol is about personality, charisma, on and off the stage. Right now you have part of the key to being an idol, you have things that draw people to you. But you need things that keep people on you. You need more than the sweat glistening off your brow. You need the talents from all parts of the playing field. You need the smarts to master stage directions, you need the stamina to run across the stage doing complicated movements, you need courage to get in front of thousands of strangers and preform to your heart’s content!

“You see, an idol has everything. If you can dance and sing on stage, then you can do anything.”

Sharpay, Kelsi, Martha, and Ms. Darbus started clapping. The teacher walked forward.

“Beautifully said Ryan! And he is correct. The skills you learn here on the stage are skills that you can take with you into your life. Stamina here means stamina on the court. Observation skills and putting two and two together not only make for a beautiful set, but also make for talented men and women of science. The list goes on I assure you. What I want you to do now, your assignment as it were, is to think long and hard about what your talents are. When we have our next meeting, which is two Mondays from now, we will discuss everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and form idol teams based upon that. Ryan and Sharpay will be more than happy to assist any of you. Before you go, please grab a list that they made detailing things to keep in mind as you explore the world of theater through school idols!”

Troy looked at Chad, and Chad looked at him. Then they looked at the rest of the group. Exactly what had they signed up for?


	2. Ryan Takes the Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter what, Sharpay and Ryan are siblings. Nothing will tear them a part, not even Sharpay throwing Ryan's jello away. But it might lead Ryan to some interesting revelations. After living all her life with him, Sharpay should know she's not the only devious one. 
> 
> Featuring "I Want it All" from HSM 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaah! An update! Finally! Hopefully I'll actually start updating at least once a month or something and there won't be a year long break between the next updates. T_T So good to write my crazy HSM dorks again! <3 
> 
> Also, music scenes are hard, but fun. Do you know how many times I watched the song to get this part right? XD Hope I did it justice and that y'all enjoy! 
> 
> Note: Singing parts are in italics.

Ryan watched Sharpay pace around the empty cafeteria while he ate a bowl of jello. It was Friday, a beautiful one in fact, but his sister was too busy throwing a tantrum to notice. Kind of like she had been for the past week. The stress of trying to whip the drama club into school idol material was clearly getting to her. Ryan had been running himself ragged doing damage control behind Sharpay’s back, but now finally he had some down time. And jello. Sweet, sweet jello. Bless the sweet cafeteria ladies that bestowed jello upon him even though it was only free period and lunch was still two periods away. 

Sharpay was oblivious to his bliss, stomping, and every so often would stop to sigh dramatically and look out over the empty expanse of the room.

“Uh…sis? Are we going to do anything here or-”

“Of course we are! We’re planning!” She faced him and leaned against the railing. “We need a good idol group and I just don’t understand how I can get Troy to see that he’s only going to reach his potential if he’s on _my_ idol team. Gabriella will ruin everything if she get’s Troy hooked on the idea that he should be on _her_ team. There's simply too many of us to have one idol group.”

“Uh sis?”

“And another thing! Daddy said that we can’t use the fans that he brought back as props! How are we supposed to do the fan dance unless we have fans?!” she was practically screaming now.

Ryan snorted to hide his laughter. She _still_ didn’t get what a fan dance was. “Lettuce leaves?”

“Ugh. You aren’t taking this seriously enough!” She shook her head, marched forward and stole his jello.

_“Imagine having everything we ever dreamed! Don’t you want it?”_

“Maybe.” Honestly he really wanted his jello back.

_“Can’t you see it?”_

Ryan shrugged. “Kind of.”

_“Imagine first audition after college I get the lead.”_ She tossed his food in the trash as she flung her hands out, as if she was already on stage.

“A part for me?” He tried to ignore the mild anger at losing his jello. 

_“Well of course!”_

Ryan snorted, crossed his arms, and rolled his eyes. “Yeah right.” He couldn’t lie though, the idea did appeal to him. But it’s not like she wouldn’t try to steal the spotlight. Not her fault though, she didn’t do it on purpose, it was just a her thing. Anyone teamed up with her was bound for greatness...and a smaller spotlight. “Keep talking.”

_“You gotta believe it!”_

Sharpay was grinning now. There was no stopping her. The only way Ryan was going to get through this was to join her in her crazy made up musical number to absolutely no one in particular.

_“You and I all the fame,”_

_“Sharpay, ‘what’s his name?’”_

_“Sound exciting?”_

Ryan rolled his eyes and didn’t hold back his sarcasm. “Inviting.”

_“Let’s do it then!”_

“Listening.”

Sharpay snuck behind him and put pretend finger phones to his ear. _“Personal stylist, agent and a publicist.”_

Ryan spun around and backed up, holding hands up, _“But where do I fit into this?”_

_“With you we can win!”_ She grabbed his hands and threw them in the air. She was looking rather worried about him now, and a little part of Ryan felt kind of bad about that.

He followed her up onto the table she was standing on. _“Win the part?”_

“Think bigger.”

_“Become super stars?”_

“That’s better!” She started shaking her hips, _“Can’t you see that better is bigger, and bigger is better, a little bit is never enough. No, no, no! I want it all!”_

As if that was a news flash. But these moves she was doing, they were new and _that_ was news to him. Ryan watched as she danced around the tables doing some impressive kicks and spins.

_“You want it, you know that you want it, the fame and the fortune and more”_ She grabbed him and started doing the fox trot with him, _“You want it all! You want it, you know that you want it, you want it all. You want the world nothing less, all the fame and the press only giving you the best reviews,”_

Ryan spun her out and smiled back at her radiant grin.

“Making more sense now?” she said.

“Yeah, starting to.”

“Good. I was getting worried. Say it with me!”

She ran to the balcony and Ryan followed, imagining that all of East High was there to see him at his first sold out show. Who said you couldn’t star in and do the choreography for the play?

Together they sang. _“I want it all! I want it, I want it, I want it. My name in lights at Carnegie Hall, I want it all!”_

“Oh they’re gonna love me Ryan.”

“Excuse me?”

That coy giggle that made so many bow to her will. “I mean, _us._ Totally meant us. Duh.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Anyway, where were we?”

“Had we covered the backstage crowds?”

Sharpay gasped. “Good one!” She started singing as she headed down the steps waving. _“Red carpet, rose bouquets,”_

_“Crowd waiting backstage,”_

_“Invitations, standing ovations, magazines,”_ they sang together. _  
_

“Yes please!” Ryan said jumping down the last three steps.

“We’re gonna be celebrities!”

_“Photographs, fan clubs”_

Sharpay winked, _“Give the people what they love.”_

Ryan felt his feet grow light, like they always did when he was doing a killer dance number and he knew he was nailing it. This was excitement, this was fame, and this was his moment. Well would be if they were really marching through screaming crowds of fans and not the empty tables of East High. But he was getting excited.

_“Times Square, jet-setter, sequels pay better.”_ Sharpay grinned and grabbed Ryan. Well that was a cue as much as anything.

_“New York today, tomorrow the world!_

_“Sold out shows?”_

Sharpay rolled her eyes. “Think bigger.”

_“And the Oscar goes to…”_

“Me obviously, but that’s better!” She nudged him and twirled away. “ _Don’t ya see that bigger is better and better is bigger, a little bit is never enough, no, no_ OW!”

They had both decided to spin in at the same time and managed to knock heads quite hard. Now Ryan stumbled back a bit a hand to his head rubbing it, knocking his hat off.

“Ow.”

“I said that!” Sharpay snapped.

“Stating it for the record.”

“Well. Anyway. You get the point. We can’t let Troy fail and bringing me down! I mean _us_ down.”

Ryan looked at his sister who was now leaning against a table pouting as only she could, and picked his hat up. After righting his hat, he walked to her and put his hands on her shoulder. “Look sis, Gabbi isn’t going to have the time to run an idol group _and_ participate in the scholastic decathlon. The others need you. We all need you! The drama club will thank you for what you’re doing. This is new and evolutionary! Everyone can appreciate that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah!” Well _maybe_. If she stopped throwing people’s jello away, and if she wasn’t so controlling, people really would see the greatness in her. But how to get them there...

Ryan stood beside her now, also leaning against the table. He mimicked her stance, crossing his arms. The silence between them was almost sad, the joy they shared before, now hushed, each lost in their own thoughts and worries. “Hey, you trust me right?”

Sharpay frowned and looked at him, brows furrowed. “Of course! We’re _twins_ after all. Why wouldn’t I trust you? You’re my right hand man.” 

“And you are my right hand woman.” He said with a mock bow, grin on his face.

She smirked. “What are you up to?”

“You’ll see! Just trust me on this ok? Don’t worry about a second team, I know how to make it _all_ work.” He kissed her on the cheek before sliding away with some moon-walking. “You’re not the only mastermind you know?”

Sharpay shook her head, but there was pride in that look. Her arms were still crossed, but she was more relaxed. Her shoulders weren’t as tight, her expression now soft. That look meant a lot of things, but the biggest thing it meant was that Ryan was free to take the reins. He looked at one of the cafeteria clocks as he danced out the door. There was still ten minutes left of free period. He had plenty of time. 

In a way, Sharpay was right. He _did_ want it all. And for once, he knew how to get it. First order of action? A private meeting with two of his favorite basketball boys. 


End file.
